WO 99/46242 describes that (i) a compound represented by the formula:
wherein R represents an aliphatic hydrocarbon group optionally having substituents, an aromatic hydrocarbon group optionally having substituents, a heterocyclic group optionally having substituents, a group represented by the formula: —OR1 (wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group optionally having substituents) or a group represented by the formula:
(wherein R1b represents a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group optionally having substituents, R1c is, the same as or different from R1b, a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group optionally having substituents, R0 represents a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, or R and R0 represent a bond with each other, ring A is a cycloalkene substituted by 1 to 4 substituents selected from (1) an aliphatic hydrocarbon group optionally having substituents, (2) an aromatic hydrocarbon group optionally having substituents, (3) a group represented by the formula: —OR1 (wherein R1 is as defined above) and (4) a halogen atom, Ar represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group optionally having substituents, a group represented by the formula:
represents a group represented by the formula:
and n is an integer of 1 to 4, and (ii) a compound represented by the formula:
wherein Ra represents an aliphatic hydrocarbon group optionally having substituents, an aromatic hydrocarbon group optionally having substituents, a heterocyclic group optionally having substituents, a group represented by the formula: —OR1a (wherein R1a represents a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group optionally having substituents) or a group represented by the formula:
(wherein R1a is as defined above, R1b is, the same as or different from R1a, a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group optionally having substituents, R0a represents a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, or Ra and R0a represent a bond with each other, Ara represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group optionally having substituents, a group represented by the formula:
represents a group represented by the formula:
and n represents an integer of 1 to 4, a salt thereof and a prodrug thereof have a nitric oxide (NO) production-inhibiting effect and an inhibitory effect on the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6 and the like, and are useful as a prophylactic and therapeutic agent against the diseases including cardiac diseases, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, central nervous system diseases, infectious diseases, sepsis, septic shock and the like.